SRH Hochschule Heidelberg

Dance Movement Therapy

  • Master of Arts (M.A.)
  • 4 Semesters
  • Full time
  • 120 ECTS
  • €690/Month
  • only winter semester
  • Optional Study Abroad

Would you like to live out your passion for dancing and do good at the same time? Our Dance Movement Therapy Master will help you learn to enhance your patients’ body awareness and to use the healing effect of movement.

  • English
  • winter semester
Students in the Dance Therapy Master programm at the SRH Heidelberg
Your course content

What you will learn

Dance Movement Therapy and other arts therapies are increasingly popular in healthcare, and the research base for these fields is growing. The degree programme in Dance Movement Therapy takes a total of two years, including an intensive placement phase. The range of classes includes dance therapy techniques, psychological/medical expertise and scientific methods. The degree programme will enable you to use movement analysis and dance therapy techniques for targeted diagnostic purposes. In the campus outpatient clinic and during placements, you will practice the knowledge and skills gained under the guidance of mentors. You will have the opportunity to participate in a wide range of research projects.

Your career prospects

Our innovative approach that pays off

The scientific foundations and the methodological and professional skills gained on the Master’s programme in Dance Movement Therapy will enable you to work in a clinical, therapeutic or special needs context (e.g. in psychiatry, neurology, paediatrics or palliative care). You will also be able to pursue a career in research and work towards a doctorate.

Some of your career perspectives

  • Psychiatric clinics
  • Psychosomatic and psychotherapeutic clinics
  • Clinics specializing in neurology
  • Geriatric institutions, homes for seniors
  • Institutions for people with mental and/or physical disabilities
  • Oncology departments as well as after-care centers
  • Centers for pain treatment and palliative care
  • Centers for vocational rehabilitation
  • Psychosocial consulting centers
  • Establishment of private practice

The scientific foundations and the methodological and professional skills gained on the Master’s programme in Dance Movement Therapy will enable you to work in a clinical, therapeutic or special needs context (e.g. in psychiatry, neurology, paediatrics or palliative care). You will also be able to pursue a career in research and work towards a doctorate.

The skills gained can also be transferred independently to other clinical areas such as forensics, geriatrics or curative education. Setting up a practice is regulated by law under the Alternative Medical Practitioners Act (HeilprG) and requires a separate state examination (alternative medical practitioner / psychotherapy).

The degree programme is recognised by the German Professional Organisation For Dance Therapists (BTD). Evidence of additional achievements must be provided to be accepted into the BTD.

Student voices
Rebeka Kardos mit Kaffeebecher vor der Alten Brücke in Heidelberg
Student voices

Rebeka Kardos, Dance-Movement-Therapy student

"I decided to study DMT to combine my love for dance and psychology. As a dancer, I realized through my life how dance have strong impact on my well-being and I decided to help others through the dance. I like to study DMT because it is perfect balance of art and science in one approach, which allows to DMT therapists to have an amazing results in the therapy process and to have evidence-based proof that DMT really works as a therapeutic approach. Benefits of studying DMT on SRH are strong scientific base for everything we learn, friendly, cooperative professors and curriculum which allows us to learn and have exams in the modules, which prevent us from overwhelming in the end of semester." 

Workshops Introductory online workshop Master Dance and Movement Therapy

Would you like to experience our Master's programme Dance and Movement Therapy Dance live? Prof. Dr. Fabian Chyle-Silvestri and Claudia Sauerborn will give you insights into the theory and practice of this exciting field of work.

Event
Open Days Ask the Dean: Info session - May

Join the faculties and Admission Office in an online live session about the upcoming semester!

Event
Curriculum Dance Movement Therapy (M.A.)

Your curriculum

4 Semester 120 ECTS
1. Semester
  • Introduction to therapy sciences

    6
  • Introduction to dance movement therapy

    6
  • Psychology & psychotherapy

    12
  • Dance movement therapy procedures

    6
2. Semester
  • Clinical psychology (Mental Health)

    12
  • Neurology & quantitative research methods

    6
  • Dance and movement therapy procedures II

    6
  • Clinical Placement

    6
3. Semester
  • Evidence-based clinical practice

    6
  • Assessment & clinical practice with children and adolescents

    6
  • Arts therapies and specific applications

    6
  • Dance and movement therapy and interdisciplinary approaches

    6
  • Advanced placement (clinical or research)

    6
4. Semester
  • Professionalization, law & ethics

    14
  • Master's thesis

    16
Logo IACAET

Professional member of IACAET

IACAET promotes a genuine global dialogue, particularly between South and North, East and West, about the role and practice of the creative arts in education and therapy across all regions. 

Admission requirements

Our requirements

You can be admitted to study at the SRH University Heidelberg if you have:

  • a Bachelor's degree in the social sciences, humanities or arts
  • Individual admission is possible for applicants with different backgrounds or other fields of study
  • Personal and artistic suitability (tested in our personal selection process*)
  • Documented proof of good English skills: IELTS 6.5 TOEFL iBT 80 (TOEFL code of SRH: 7712) Duolingo Certificate 110 PTE Academic 58 or other proof of English proficiency

You do not qualify? No problem, SRH has its International College for students who do not qualify for direct entry into our programmes or need to bring up their English language level. You can choose from our Foundation programmes at the College. This is a direct pathway into our university. Find more about here . https://www.srh-international-college.de/

* Selection process

The selection process includes an artistic aptitude part (movement and expression; non-verbal interaction skills) and a personal/professional aptitude part (admission interview). We reserve the right to modify the content of the assessment.

The artistic aptitude part (movement and expression):

  • Dance self-portrait
  • Non-verbal interaction
  • Free dance

Personal/professional aptitude part (admission interview):

  • Admission interview to clarify your motivation to study, areas of interest, plans, personal and professional background, communication skills

After applying successfully via the online portal, we will get in touch with you personally. The assessment will be held online as a video conference in an individual setting.

Fees and Funding

Your tuition fees

690 EUR per month full-time + one-time registration fee of 750 EUR (Prices apply only to students from the European Economic Area). 

Applicants from Non-EEA countries without permanent residence permit need to pay a tuition fee of 5,100 EUR per semester + one-time registration fee of 1,000 EUR and must pay the tuition fees for one semester in advance. From the second semester onwards the payments for the remaining semesters of study are due six weeks before the end of the period of study already paid for. The payments have to be done semesterwise. 

For more information and payment modalities, please refer to the current fee schedules (valid from 01.04.2023): 

Fees schedule EEA students
Fees schedule non-EEA students

Apply now

Application process and deadlines

We look forward to welcoming you to SRH University Heidelberg very soon.
There are no closing dates for application at our University. This is the application process:

  • If you’re interested in our Master’s programme, simply send us your application online
  • If you encounter technical difficulties with the online application or have any questions about your application, your contact person Sarah Grabe will be happy to help you.
  • If you meet the admission requirements, we’ll invite you to a selection interview
  • If you pass the selection interview, we’ll send you the acceptance letter and the study contract
  • You then sign the study contract and return it to us
  • You pay the registration fee
  • If you come from a non-EU country, you will pay your tuition fee one semester in advance in addition to the registration fee. From the second semester onwards the payments for the remaining semesters of study are due six weeks before the end of the period of study already paid for.
  • We then issue your letter of acceptance
  • You take part in our Welcome Days – and then embark on your degree programme!

APS Certificate

Please note that special conditions apply to applicants from some countries: 

India

From 1st of November 2022, applicants from India will be required to have their documents verified by the Academic Evaluation Centre New Delhi (APS-India) before applying for a visa. After successful verification you will receive a certificate which allows you to initiate the visa process. Please note that the verification process at APS-India is expected to take approximately 4 weeks. We recommend that you apply for the APS certificate at the same time as you apply to SRH University Heidelberg. For more information, go to the APS-India website: www.aps-india.de 

The People’s Republic of China

The procedure of the Academic Evaluation Centre of the Cultural Section at the German Embassy in Bejing (Akademische Prüfstelle – APS) must have been successfully completed before you apply. The centre checks documents for authenticity and conducts interviews. The original APS certificate must be enclosed with the application documents. For more information, go to the APS website at: www.aps.org.cn

Please note that you don’t need to complete the APS procedure if you apply for our 3+1 programmes. 

Vietnam

The Academic Evaluation Centre of the German Embassy in Hanoi has been checking the university entrance qualifications of Vietnamese applicants since 2007. The procedure includes checking the submitted written documents as well as an interview with the applicant. An original copy of proof of successful completion of this process, the APS certificate, must be enclosed with the application documents. 

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